Summer is the perfect time to enjoy colorful juicy fruits and light flavorful salads to keep you healthy.
With an abundance of freshly picked fruits and vegetables at the local farmers' market, there's no excuse to not eat right. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories and fat. And many contain lots of water and fiber to give you a feeling of fullness. Here are a few examples of good fiber options:
- One medium-sized apple with its skin contains 4 grams of dietary fiber.
- One medium avocado contains 4 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber.
- One medium banana contains 1 gram of protein and 3 grams of dietary fiber.
- One cup of blackberries contains 1 gram of protein and over 7 grams of dietary fiber.
So, how many grams of dietary fiber should you have each day? The answer depends on your age and gender. For women younger than 50, you should have about 25 grams per day. For women older than 50, the recommended amount is 21 grams per day. Men under 50 should have 38 grams of dietary fiber each day, and 30 grams if they are older than 50. Dietary fiber soaks up water and increasing your fiber intake may divert water from cells. So when increasing your fiber consumption, make sure you increase your intake of fluids accordingly. It's also important to get your fiber from a variety of sources, like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans.
Combined with an active lifestyle and low-fat diet, eating greater amounts of fruits and vegetables and fewer high-calorie foods at meals can help you control your weight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests that women and older adults should have 1,600 calories and 53 grams of fat each day. Children, teen girls, active women and most men are encouraged to take in 2,200 calories and 73 grams of fat each day; while teen boys and active men require 2,800 calories and 93 grams fat each day.
To cut back on calories, many people are eating diets consisting of more raw foods. A diet high in raw foods typically consists mainly of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Such a diet is almost certain to result in weight loss. However, certain other foods (for example - whey protein) need to be added, for balance, to a diet of raw foods. A balanced diet is always the most effect way to lose weight and maintain good health.
Latest research shows that whey protein is the purest, cleanest, most biologically available (most easily absorbed) source of protein in history. Whey protein isolate is the richest source of the 8 essential amino acids and branched-chain amino acids your body needs for growth, energy, and vibrant health. EnergyFirst offers a delicious Whey Protein Isolate - in Fudge Chocolate and Vanilla! Both are made with only natural whey isolate, the purest protein powder with the highest biological value of any protein in existence today. Sweetened naturally with stevia leaf extract and Trutina Dulcem (kiwi fruit concentrate), a registered thermogenic sweetener that will not adversely affect blood sugar levels, this product is perfect for fat loss and is safe for diabetics.
